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Tips for taking part in Physical Activity and Sport

Activity is an important part of keeping a balanced lifestyle, being physically active will bring enormous benefits to both your health and your wellbeing.  There can be many reasons why we are not active:

  • "I don’t have the time"
  • "I’m too tired by the end of the day"
  • "I don’t like gyms or classes"
  • "It’s too expensive!"

Some of these reasons can be due to misconceptions of what activities will benefit health and how activity can fit into your every day lifestyle.

The science...

Being active ensures that the fuel (via food and drink) we put into our bodies is utilised.  By not using up this fuel our bodies will naturally store it as fat.  If we eat and drink more than we use, the result will be weight gain heightening the risk of overweight and obesity which will increase the risk of associated conditions.

Obesity has become an epidemic and poses as much risk to health as smoking.  Incorporating activity (in any shape or form!) into your life will lower your risk or ill health and help you keep flexible, strong and allow confident weight management.

The following information should encourage and guide you into a more active lifestyle and should also reassure you that being active does not always have to be costly and definitely does not only mean a gym membership.

Why should I really be active?

  • Activity is enjoyable and lifts your mood.
  • It encourages you to sleep better and therefore improves your well being
  • It helps to combat stress and encourages you to feel better about yourself
  • It gives you more energy
  • It can help you control your weight and improve your muscle tone
  • Keeps you strong and flexible (good for joints, bones and muscles) allowing for full participation in life
  • It can be a good way of meeting other like-minded people

The science behind activity – reducing the risk

Activity will lower your risk of the following:

  • Heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Obesity/overweight
  • Osteoporosis & arthritis
  • Mental health issues

What counts as enough activity?  What should I be doing?

How much activity you undertake will often depend on what you would like to achieve.  For example, if you would like to maintain health, improve your fitness or lose weight (or all three) there will be different recommendations for each goal.  For overall general health adults should be undertaking 30 minutes of moderate activity on a minimum of 5 days a week (for children the recommendation is 60 minutes on a daily basis).  If the target is weight loss, the amount of activity will need to increase.

Moderate activity can mean anything which makes you feel warmer, makes you breathe deeper (although you should be able to talk) and increases your heart rate.  It can include lifestyle activities or it can be completed as part of a structured sport or pursuit.  Activity does not have to be gym based and the 30 minutes does not have to be completed as a whole; it can divided into three 10 minute sessions making it easier to fit into your day.

Examples of moderate lifestyle activities could be:

  • Walking
  • Gardening
  • Using the stairs instead of the lift
  • Swimming
  • Riding a bike
  • Housework

Moderate activity does not certainly exclude going to the gym or joining a class or group, examples such as gardening and housework are utilised on this occasion to show how easy it is to increase your levels of activity and how daily tasks can count towards your recommended level.

How can I fit activity into my life?

Making activity a part of your life may seem difficult, especially if you did little or no activity before.  However, once you recognise that simple adjustments and simple activities can make a difference you will see that to build activity into your daily routine is easy.

Active Travel

Travel simply refers to moving from one place to another whether this be via train, car or on foot.  Here are a few suggestions around fitting activity into your travelling:

  • If taking the bus, get off a stop earlier to walk some of the way
  • When possible if driving, park your car at the furthest point in the car park so that you walk a longer distance to your destination
  • Take the stairs instead of the lift
  • Ride a bike to your destination
  • Walk to the local shops rather than drive

Active Home

To build activity into your home life is easier than you think.  Most people are already active at home and don’t even realise.  See below for ideas around an activity at home:

  • Housework counts as valuable activity so indulging in dusting, ironing, vacuuming and washing has a dual purpose by keeping you healthy as well!
  • Gardening activities can help flexibility and keep you healthy
  • Get up 10 minutes earlier and do10 minutes of activity – this can set you up for the day!
  • Buy an exercise DVD or video and exercise at home
  • Go for a walk or bike ride
  • Wash your car

Active Work

As we spend 60% of our week at work if we do a particularly inactive job this can impact on our health and wellbeing.

  • If possible, walk to see colleagues rather than rely on email or the telephone
  • Take regular breaks to stretch or have a walk – ensure you take advantage of your official break(s) and use it as an opportunity to be active
  • Use the stairs instead of the lifts
  • If at a desk keep yourself flexible by stretching at regular intervals during the day.  Keep an eye on your posture – keep your stomach pulled in and your back straight

Active Leisure

Use your free time as a time to be active.  Taking up a new activity may put you in touch with like-minded people and allow you to make more friends.  You may not feel comfortable joining a class, a group or a gym.  Don’t worry, there are plenty of activities you can do in your free time on your own – walking is a great place to start!

Examples – how to fit activity into your life:

Single parent who works a full time job gets the bus into work and always gets off earlier and walks some of the way.  Within the workplace he/she uses the stairs instead of the lift and 3 times a week will utilise lunch breaks as a chance to be active whether this be via another walk or going swimming.
 
At weekends they will do activities with their children and will indulge in gardening if the weather is good.  Housework is also a priority during this time with cleaning, washing and vacuuming keeping he/she active.

Older retired couple enjoy walking and will often go for a walk in the morning before breakfast.  They are both members of their local U3A group (for more info see links section) and indulge in a variety of activities which help to keep their joints flexible.  They are keen gardeners and will spend lots of their weekend time together in the garden.

Middle-aged part time worker works 30 hours over 4 days.  They usually enjoy keeping their day off for a chance to catch up with friends and relax.  During their working week they will use the stairs as much as they can and will nearly always walk to the shops at lunchtime to have a break from the office.  When at home they keep their house tidy and vacuum at least twice a week and dust everyday.  At the weekends they will take time to do washing and ironing. 

How do I begin to be active if I haven’t been active before?

Consult with GP if you are worried, have health condition or would like further guidance.  They will be able to assist you in building up a plan of activity suitable for you.  Alternatively, your local borough council will employ activity professionals who will be able to offer their expertise and guidance and assist you to build activity into your daily life.